Let's Beat 9 to 5 Down Like a Rented Mule

Question: How many people would complain if you didn’t send out your newsletter or brochure?

Currently, no one because they don’t exist yet!

Question: Clearly articulate what promise you make to those that give you permission.

I’ll answer this in future tense. I will promise to do my best to deliver value. I hope to offer them concrete examples of people who have succeeded, along with clear take-always that they can churn into action items for themselves.

Again, this will be in future tense. The audience will anticipate that one or many stories will resonate with them enough that they’ll want to emulate the individual(s) in the stories. It will be personal because they want to succeed specifically in this category. It will be relevant because the lifestyle/career choices will be what the audience is seeking out.

Question: What could you promise that people will look forward to?

Positive, uplifting stories that outline possibilities that can be achieved by anyone who learns to believe that they can do it.

Question: What is your client afraid their boss will think if they say yes?

They are afraid that their boss will think that this money perhaps can best be spent elsewhere. Could they have gotten a better deal? Are they getting the most out of their money? Did they go with the person/company who is most qualified? They are afraid their boss might doubt the end results, which will reflect on the client directly.

Question: What would your client tell their boss to explain why they bought from you?

This person has an diverse background. She speaks with ease about the tasks that need to be completed, which makes me feel secure that she has a lot of experience in this area.

Question: What would you like them to tell their boss?

The above + She is personable, upright and is in alliance with us to help see us through to success. She recounts examples of cases where others needed the same type of support that we do and it sounds as though she delivered, maybe even over-delivered. I also feel confident that she doesn’t need to be micro-managed; once it’s in her hands, we can trust that we don’t have to think about it again until the job is completed.

Like this:

For this question, I chose to reply surrounding my current career, not my future, hopeful idea of freelancing. The rank will be from 1-5.

Reputation: 4

Knowledge: 4

Expertise: 5

Tools: 3

Handiness: 4

Which will you invest in developing?

Most definitely in the tools area. Where I once thought I was quite advanced in Excel, I recently took a course to see where I was at and quickly realized that there are so many advanced functions that I should consider tackling, which would be an asset to many clients and employers. I am also slowly but surely making my way through graphics design and web design courses, which are both a pleasure and an asset.

I gave myself a 4 on reputation because although I have a solid one at work, my workload and lack of motivation definitely has me less organized than usual. This can definitely be improved.

Reading back at my replies, hours later, all of those points are worth improving on and investing in.

This question stopped me in my tracks because it made me recognise that this really needs to be articulated and put on the table before going any further.

They would be buying a method to help them achieve what they thought they couldn’t; to become solopreneurs. They would be buying a blueprint towards their success. They would be buying an opportunity to me mentored by the stories of people who have accomplished this before them.

Question: Leave out the easy, repetitive, generic stuff… What are you doing that’s difficult?

The homework. I’m doing the research about what the steps to success are – finding the common denominators. I’ll be knocking on doors – cold calling noteworthy individuals in our category. I’ll be turned away many times before a remarkable yes comes along.

I’ll be learning and failing until I find the right methods to interview people, to podcast, to drive traffic, and to write in such a way that:

People will learn

People will be emotionally connected

People will believe in themselves because someone before them did. There will be social proof that someone they can relate to was prosperous.

I’m questioning how generic or difficult any of the above is, but then realise that the difficult part is that not everyone is willing to do the work and accept that failure is part of the process. I think I’m ready for some let-downs in order to find and distribute some treasures.

In response to the first assignment, which is exercise 5: Who are you?, my replies are below.

Seth suggests: Do these exercises online, in public. Blog them or put them on Facebook. Speak up. Speak out.

Question: What do you want to do? (Not your job, but your work, now, tomorrow, and in the future)* Who do you want to change, and how do you want to change them? *If you’re having trouble answering this, you’re going to have trouble moving up, because you’ve abdicated your dream to whomever walks in the door next

I want to write, to blog, to podcast and to help others. I want to interview successful freelancers and entrepreneurs in order to understand their common threads, and then I want to simplify that formula and share it with an audience who might not have believed they could do the same. Once the formula is broken down, the dream seems attainable.

Question: Who do you want to change, and how do you want to change them?

Anyone who needs to feel empowered, but right now my heart is leaning towards specializing in the mother and maybe the single parent demographic because this is where I’m at currently.

I have a deep thirst for having a more flexible schedule for my daughter, I want to show her that we can be successful as creatives and I want to have more streams of income for us. I know there are so many like me out there and we need guidance. I hope to mentor others in this category one day.

I want them to be changed by feeling capable, informed and transmitted into our new reality of where income can be sourced from. Then, they will share, too.

Question: How much risk? (from 1 [a little] to 10 [bet everything]), how much are you willing to put at stake to make the change that you seek?

Risk almost always feels like I won’t be able to pay the bills at the end of the day if I dare take one. That’s always been my obstacle. I grew up below the LICO (Low Income Cut Off), so security has always overshadowed dreams, art, creativity and success. Take the job, get the bills paid and sleep well that night. Repeat.

Now that I have a child, the thought of poverty is choking. The thought of not living my truth hurts almost as much.

Take away that immense fear obstacle and I’d risk at level 8. With that fear, a 2. Maybe those numbers are actually higher because I’m surely risking getting fired every day by being complacent.

I’m willing to give away any toxic relationships and/or time with anyone who isn’t supportive or open-minded.

Question: How much work are you willing to do to get there? Be specific about the details.

When I consider how much I would love what I’m doing and the positive impact it can have, the answer is a lot of work. It wouldn’t feel like work. I’d be quite unwilling to take away from my precious time with my little one, but I can put in time while commuting, at lunch, at night, during peanut’s naps and I may be able to squeeze in some research during work. Wink. Wink.

Question: Does this project matter enough for the risk and the effort you’re putting into it?

Hell, ya. It seems as if there is no better time than now for creatives to make a living. Our platform has arrived. Anything we want to learn is at our fingertips. Almost anyone we want to reach out to is online; it’s as though the six degrees of separation is now two – maximum three degrees.

I’ve waited 42 years to start believing in myself – that I have value to offer to others. It’s risky, but it feels so right and effortless because I love the process.

Question: Is it possible – has anyone with your resources ever pulled this off?

I believe that many with less resources have pulled this off. Maybe they were hungrier. Maybe they were better executioners. Maybe they had a higher self esteem. Maybe they were smarter. Maybe they were more focused. Maybe they were foolish. I don’t know, but I plan to find them and ask them to be generous enough to share their stories with anyone who will listen.